This invention relates to a sliding roof for an automobile.
Such a roof is known which comprises a non-slidable, front wind deflector, pivotal at its forward edge in a roof opening, and a rear sliding lid, slidably guided in the roof opening, which sliding lid when the roof is closed, together with the wind deflector, the rear edge of which it then adjoins with its own front edge, fills the roof opening and, when the wind deflector is pivoted outwards, can be displaced after its rear edge has been lowered entirely or partly underneath the rear, fixed roof surface, the same threaded cable drive assembly being used for the adjusting movements both of the wind deflector and also of the sliding lid.
In a known sliding roof of this type (DE 34 35 791 C2), starting from the closed position of the wind deflector and of the sliding lid, by means of a manual or electric motor drive acting via an actuating cable and lifting-out elements with constant rotational direction of the drive, firstly the wind deflector is pivoted out, and then the rear edge of the lid is lowered and, finally, the sliding lid is pushed in an inclined orientation, the wind deflector still remaining pivoted out, underneath the rear, fixed roof surface. The drive can be stopped when the various individual positions are reached. With this movement sequence, and with the wind deflector pivoted out and sliding lid closed, a draught-free ventilation of the vehicle interior can be achieved. The roof opening can be exposed almost completely by pushing the sliding lid underneath the rear roof surface.
In order to achieve adequate ventilation of the vehicle interior when the sliding lid of this known sliding roof is closed, the wind deflector must be pivoted upwards at its rear edge through a large angle, in order to obtain a sufficiently large ventilation gap relative to the front edge of the closed sliding lid. Thus the wind deflector rear edge projects by a considerable amount above the lid surface, flush with the roof surface, and this not only leads to an increase in the air resistance of the vehicle but also to air current noises that decrease travelling comfort. Furthermore, in this known sliding roof, the sliding lid, pivoted downwards about a pivot axis located in the vicinity of the front edge of the lid, must be slid in an inclined orientation under the fixed roof surface during the opening displacement. For this purpose, a considerable distance is necessary between the fixed roof surface and the bottom of the lid housing box facing towards the vehicle interior. In this way the height of the vehicle interior is reduced and headroom is limited.